Lys
by aisangreen123
Summary: She hates Anima with a passion to destroy the world if she wanted to. He is and Anima, the other one isn't. She'll pick the non-Anima, right? The three divinities laugh at their game. A love...nonagon? (This is based off the Anima idea as in half aimal peoples, but has none of the Anima characters in it, sorry everyone!). AU! Maybe change the rating to M later on if I feel like it
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys, thanks for coming to check out my story, I know I'm an amateur and all so really, thank you. I apologize in advance for late chapter uploads *forgiveness? motion* HAVE FUNNNN! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

~Prologue~

Hate. An emotion black and disgusting, ice cold with no remorse. It's heavy and smothering, consuming your being with a desire to conquer. For a fully grown man it's acceptable. He knows what it takes to truly hate, he has had a taste of it. But imagine that hate suppressed and bottled up inside a young girl, just barely 16, a hate monstrous enough to twist all reason. Hate so strong it pounds at her body, shrieking to be set free. There's no explanation for this hatred she will feel, but it'll come and it will slowly devour her, festering inside the pit of her stomach. Her name is Lys.

~Beginning of Chapter 1~

Lys felt terrible. The ship rocked again and it was all she could do to not throw up. Sitting in the corner of the room, she was hugging her knees and praying, almost feverishly, for the seas to just die. Lys had never liked the sea. Her intense sea sickness was part of the reason, but really it was the unnatural saltiness, the stabbing cold, the infinite darkness... a world unknown that scared her. But what scared her most was that the the sea started doing weird things when she was near. Weird as in waves rising higher than should be possible, froth turning thick and black like tar, and other impossible phenomenons. Sailors who knew, called her a witch. To her father, she was only a disappointment.

The ship rocked again, more violently, and Lys, forced to break out of position, went sprawling to the floor. Thankfully, only bile rose up in her throat nothing more. She smelled the polished wood, heard the lamp swinging back and forth on it's hanger, shadows growing and fading on the walls, a strange ancient dance. Suddenly, the room seemed too dark, too suffocating. She needed to breathe. Rising up unsteadily to her feet, she half walked half stumbled to the mahogany door and swung it open for the first time in 3 days, allowing the salty air to rush in. Inhaling shakily she closed her eyes to regain some posture. While Lys was trying to get herself back together, the watch boy who guarded her was gazing at her, apparently enraptured by her beauty. Lys was easily the most beautiful in all the kingdom, after her mother, Queen Lystra. With lustrous chocolate brown hair, striking green eyes, and a figure to match, she was the fantasy of all men...and the envy of all women. And on top of all that, she was also a master archer, the best worldwide. Her skills were well known even in the most remote areas. Called the daughter of Artemis, a revered goddess of ancient times known for her ability to never miss her target, Lys lived up to that name. She took a deep breath, wincing at the salt, and opened her eyes slowly, squinting at the harsh sunlight. The boy scrambled back to attention, blushing furiously. Lys's hand that was still holding the door tightened, almost imperceptibly. She regarded him with a cool gaze, seething inside. She felt disgusted, looking at his protruding dog ears. He was actually a very handsome boy, to be honest. Around her age, blond curly hair, blue eyes, a regal looking nose. No doubt popular with young women. Lys hated him.

"How many more days,", Lys asked tersely. The dog coughed before speaking, trying to appear mature and confident,

"Two more days, princess. Please endure for a while longer.". Lys gave no sign of acknowledgment and abruptly shut herself back into her dark room, purple silk gown swishing against the door. Anima, she thought disgustedly, half human half animal freaks. So gross and unnatural, the world doesn't need them! Lys stopped her inner tirade at another violent jerk of the ship. Her slipper caught on a leg of the stool and she tripped onto her bed, clutching at the bedpost for support. She gritted her teeth in frustration. Lys hated confined spaces almost as much as the sea, but she had no choice. Lys thought of her home back in Regalia. She missed the palace. And that was saying a lot. But what she missed most was her little siblings, Teo and Clementine.

Teo, 11 and Clementine, 8, they were the embodiment of angels. Since their birth, they were always on her side even if the rest of the world turned against her. Lys really had nothing to live for other than those two now. She'd do anything for them, they were her life. Sure, she wanted to be free and live outside the palace, go on adventures, hunt Anima's and such, but since she couldn't do any of those, the next best thing would be to make Teo and Clem's life as happy as possible. And that's exactly why she was on this ship. And also because of her damn selfish father but mostly for Clementine. Lys was on her way to get married to the firstborn son of the neighboring kingdom, Viehart, Johannes. It was so Clem wouldn't have to go through the pain of arranged marriage when she got older. She could marry who she loved. Lys knew she'd never be happy this way, doing this to herself on purpose, but what did it matter? She had given up being happy, ever since mother died.

She clenched her fists, and stared at the pale ivory skin. It was so like her mothers. Her hair too. Long with luscious curls, exactly how mother always had it. She was nearly identical to Queen Lystra...perhaps that's why her father hated her, couldn't stand to look at her. But it didn't matter that her father hated her more now, either. She knew that she had always been a failure to him. The affection her father once had for her, if any, had died along with her mother. Now she was just a tool, an item, to make the kingdom prosper even more. Lys would bear children for Johannes, pretend to be the 'always so obedient and submissive' doll, be showered daily with fake compliments and admirations. The absolute hell.

Lys heard from travelers that Johannes was a very handsome man, 17 years. And Lys knew , she'd seen the paintings. Blond hair, striking gray eyes along with a strong, toned body, it was no wonder innumerable women had become entranced by his beauty and charisma. But she had also heard that Johannes had only agreed to marry her for her beauty and skills as an archer. Marriage only for reputation. True, rumors may just only be rumors but it still hurt. It didn't matter, though, because Lys had vowed the night her mother died to never love anyone other than her siblings. Unnecessary love caused only pain and heartbreak, loneliness and isolation. There was no point in loving anything other than what was necessary.

The ship gave a sudden, violent shudder. Lys knew immediately something was wrong. The shake was different, more menacing than the previous ones. It wasn't until she could smell smoke that she knew they were under attack. Lys pushed away her queasy stomach and dashed to the window, only to see the black cavity of a cannon aimed at the ship. It was the raiders, pirates that commanded air ships, dominating the skies. They were known for their ruthless killings for riches and women, and their sudden ambushes on royal vessels that traveled the sea. Many of the raiders were Anima.

Lys knew she was useless, even with her skills as an archer, and she hated it. Furious at herself, Lys clenched her jaw and gripped the windowsill until her knuckles turned white. The cannon fired and wood rained down in torrents. Another cannon collided near Lys's room, and her window broke. A shard of glass cut her wrist and Lys gasped at the sudden sting. Time seemed to slow down as Lys gazed at her blood, dark red against her pale skin, and she heard only her heartbeat thundering dully in her ears. Her eyes unfocused and she could only see her arm and a thin stream of red. Gravity claimed a drop of blood and tugged it down to earth, slowly, ever so slowly, until skin released it's hold. Down, down, down, the orb fell, almost floated, really. So red and vibrant, so beautiful. A shout from outside the closed doors shattered Lys's trance and everything seemed to fast forward. The smoke, the heat, the shaking, the urgency. It was dangerous here. She snatched her bow and arrows and went for the door. She pushed the mahogany...and it was jammed.

A rising panic started to swell up in her throat. She shook the door handle more frantically. A scream started to build up. She started to open her mouth to call out for help, but stopped herself. Practically all members on board were Anima, despite her fierce opposition toward the decision. She'd rather die than willingly rely on an Anima for help. The room started to get hotter, hotter, unbearably hot. Why is it so damn hot? A wood plank from the ceiling gave way and crashed behind her. Lys whipped around and stared as flames started to devour her plush mattress, eating the clothes in her wardrobe, licking the walls with a hungry roar. The lantern swung off it's hanger and shattered on impact. The oil from the lamp spread the fire out even more, until the entire other half of the room was covered in flames. Lys backed up against the door, her precious bow safe behind her back. It was hot, so hot. Searing pain shot through her cheek, an ember had grazed it. She was scared, terrified that her life would end right here. Right here, on the ocean, the dreaded cold sea. The flames were right there, so close she could feel blisters forming on her bare arms. She stared, horrified as a stray flaming tongue began to lick her slipper. She screamed and threw it off. She watched it get devoured by the flames, the fabric slowly turning black and unrecognizable. The flames took advantage of her hesitation and started their feast on the hem of her gown. Lys shrieked and the door flew open. She fell backward, right into the arms of the young dog Anima's arms. Lys didn't care, she could only see flames. The boy became a blur, so fast Lys couldn't keep track of his movements. He leaped inside the room and emerged a few seconds later with a chest. He shoved the chest into Lys's unresponsive hands.

"Your Highness, please listen to me.", he murmered into her ear. Lys just sat, dumbfounded, gasping for breath, as he spoke, "The raiders have attacked aiming for the wedding gifts to be given to Prince Johannes. They want to take you as hostage. Keep this chest safe, it will safe someone's life one day.". He paused, and seemed to prepare himself for what he was about to do. His eyes, a beautiful cerulean blue, shimmered as if there was a furious raging battle within himself. Soot streaked his porcelain features, marring his pristine skin. Utterly breathtakingly beautiful. Yup, no doubt he was an Anima. The boy stroked Lys's cheek tenderly, gazing at her electric green eyes, matching it with the same intensity of his own blue. He whispered tenderly,

"Forgive me.", and abruptly threw her off the ship, chest, bow, clothes and all. It was a good thing he did, for the next cannon that hit was at the exact same spot they were on. Lys saw it happen. She couldn't close her eyes in time. The boy wasn't fast enough, for all his animalness. She saw the cannon implode, saw his legs get crushed into smithereens, saw his anguish and pain. She saw his blood spurt from the stubs that were now his legs, veins and arteries having been exposed.

The trance was happening again. She saw his blood as little planets orbiting an empty sky, tiny red orbs of liquid. They were so fragile, but eternal as well. Some drops were large and thick, rippling with gravity, while others were so small they were just pinpricks in the infinite sky. A drop somehow managed to touch Lys's lips, staining already ruby red an even darker color. As Lys's back hit the cold water, before blacking out she thought of just two things. One, she would kill that dog for throwing a princess off board. Second, his name was Luu.

~End of Chapter 1~


	2. Chapter 2

Hello.

I apologize profusely for the shortness of chapter one, so I'm trying to make it up now :)

One thing, this chapter and the next will be almost ALL on Lys's back story. I guess you could skip this and the next chapter but you'd be missin' out on her father (an integral part), some action (yes, FIGHTING :D), and the reason why she hates Anima and basically her whole miserable past. Therefore I suggest you read for the sake of not getting lost in this story later on.

Reviews would be immensely helpful, it's my first time ever writing my _own_ story and I'm probably a complete fail at this Cx

Thanks! 3

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~Beginning of Chapter 2~

Black was everywhere, it was so dark, so cold. Lys knew vaguely that she was awake, though 'suspended in a state of reality and dreams' would be more accurate. She couldn't really feel anything, it was all murky and hazy, like a fog had descended in her consciousness. Her physical body was floating in the water, neither sinking nor rising, just held there motionless in the grip of the sea. But she could sort of _see, _I suppose, her own body. She was there, in the water, but she was also around herself. It made no sense, whatsoever, but she knew she wasn't awake nor completely knocked out. Her body's eyes were closed, she knew that, but she could see. She could see a midnight black wall pressing in all around her.

For all that's possible, black isn't something a being can see, _could_ see, it just is_._ Yet Lys knew this color, it was familiar and brought back memories of her childhood. Bad ones. Lys was scared, terrified it would swallow her up again, like last time...

Lys's body stayed motionless, as if oblivious to her brain's shrieking for it to move. Her memories zoomed up toward her inner self and drowned her in all its splendor and ugly glory.

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"Momma! Momma!, I found a frog! Lookit'!" a 7 year old Lys eagerly presented her beautiful mother a bright green frog, with a shine in her own brilliant emerald eyes.

"It's beautiful," her mother cooed, pinching Lys's cheek affectionately, her own violet eyes shimmering in amusement, "why don't you show your father, darling?".

Lys was happy today. After all, it was finally the wonderful day she would be tested for her weapon. What's more, it was also her 7th birthday. Indeed, it was a happy day for everyone in the Kingdom. However, the mention of her father dimmed her bright eyes, filling her with a sense of dread, but she faked a smile and a somewhat cheerful "OK!". As Lys bounded off to find her father, who was probably in his study room like he was most the time, she was battling her own heart. She did _not_ want to see father. But she did, too. How weird...

King Bryo was the most prominent King of Regalia since the time of her great-great-great-great-GREAT grandfather, a famous mage who created the theory of levitating objects bigger than simple plates in the sky. He had apparently studied and tested for 17 days, with hardly more than 4 hours of sleep a week, barely more than a meal a day, enduring failed experiments one after the other with an almost godly kind of patience. He was one of the three founders of the legendary floating two kingdoms of the sky. And thus, because of Lys's father's reputation, it was expected the firstborn of the Kingdom would be male, to carry on the legacy. Of course, Lys didn't know about this particular expectation thrust upon her since before her birth. The only thing she knew in her young heart was that she only made her father irritated and disappointed, no matter _what_ she did.

It wasn't that Lys was ugly or anything, no, she was as beautiful, possibly even more so, than the great Queen Lystra herself. She had an unsurpassable beauty and dignified air, although dampened by her childlike behavior, even at the young age she was then. Fathers from other royal families had already tried to engage her in a marriage with their own sons when she was only 4! Indeed, she had an almost bewitching kind of prettiness, innocent yet powerful.

But for all her beauty, Lys never could make her father happy, and that was the only hurt she had to endure in her otherwise perfect life. Her mother adored her, she had 2 wonderfully sweet siblings, and everything a girl or boy could want, except for her fathers obvious lack of attention weighed in her heart like a black, heavy stone in her chest. She longed for it, yearned for a taste of the affection her father seemed to give in abundance to her other two siblings and even more so toward her mother. She knew they were only babies and that a one year old child certainly needed more attention than her, but she couldn't help but sometimes feel insanely jealous. Especially of her little sister, Clementine. Clem made her father smile without effort, even though Lys strived and constantly pushed herself to the limit to gain any acknowledgment from him. But when he did give her an increasingly rare pat her on the head or nod as if in approval, Lys was sure that no other feeling came close to the ecstasy she would feel then. It was a warm feeling that spread throughout her whole body down to her toes, tingling her stomach and head. She would then float around in a state of stupor and heady contentment for the rest of the day. The servants would all look upon her amused, knowing smiles on their faces, and prepare an especially extravagant dinner that day. Then the long periods of distant relationship would come back again, isolating her from her father once more. Lys didn't mind, though, for she thought she could gain it back through the hard work she would do. And she did work hard.

A member of the royal family to get their testing for his/her weapon at the age of 7 was unheard of, a feat that was in itself probably a legend. Most royal members got tested at the very least the age of 13, most when they were 17 or older. Lys was a phenomenon and the pride of Regalia. But for all that, her father didn't seem to care, and Lys didn't care either if her father didn't.

It was for this reason Lys had doubts of showing her father her frog because she was sure he would just brush her away, or even worse be disappointed by her childish behavior. Lys didn't want to her father to be disappointed in her, ever. She was afraid. _What if father looks at me like I'm stupid like he did the time I almost tripped at the ball last Saturday? What if he ignores me like he usually does? What if, what if, _thoughts of 'what if's rambled and swirled in her head until she thought she'd explode from the erratic pounding of her heart, thumping wildly in her tiny chest. She didn't know how she would ever gain the courage to open the simple door. But it turned out she didn't need to.

"Lys? What in the world are you doing, standing in front of my study room like that?" a deep rumbling baritone suddenly boomed from behind Lys's cowering form. Lys jumped and whirled around so fast her long brown curls almost nearly slapped her face.

"F-Father!" Lys stammered, face flushing in horror and embarrassment. King Bryo frowned, handsome chiseled features scrunching at his forehead, and his grey eyes found the poor green frog that was being squeezed to death in Lys's trembling hands. He sighed, annoyed.

"Lys. Release that poor creature at once, are you trying to kill it?" he grunted, eyes narrowing in distaste, or something similar to it. Lys felt like she'd been stomped on.

"Mother t-told me to show you, because it was p-pretty." Lys replied desperately in a small trembling voice.

"I hardly think my darling Lystra would tell you to show me a frog." he retorted. 'Darling _Lystra_', those two words glowed in Lys's mind like a fiery incantation or a burning sign forever etched into her mind. It was true, though, Lys realized. Mother had never told her directly to show it to father, it was just a suggestion. Once again it was all Lys's fault. Her eyes fell and she tried to hold back her tears as she stared at the glittering marble floor. Her father hated it when Lys cried, he said it was not 'befitting' for a princess. She couldn't speak, it was hard enough trying not to cry. The King just walked past her small figure after a couple of moments of looking blatantly only at her forehead, and swept into his study room without another word.

Lys took several shuddering breaths and calmed herself. She had plenty of practice doing this. She relaxed her hands and apologized to her frog and promptly released it when she reached the courtyard, just as father instructed her to. She watched the tiny green backside hop away, blending in perfectly with the luscious green of the grass and the softly swaying willow trees. It was so at home here, she realized, and she reprimanded herself and promised the roses on her immediate left that she would never take another living thing from nature out of its home ever again.

Although most wouldn't believe it, Lys was much older and mature mentally than most children her age, most _adults _even. Her empathy and sympathy were well-known in her floating country. She helped out vendors, made every effort to make life just a little bit easier for the homeless beggars, and never had she ever yelled or raised her voice even slightly at anything. Not even at the kinds of things that would make a grown man shout and scream in rage. She dealt with the problems, but in a quick orderly fashion, precise and perfect, adhering to the Law but giving out just punishment. She could be considered cold to strangers, but no one in her country ever thought so; they knew she had the most compassionate heart anyone would ever come across in their lifetime. The children loved her, though most boys tended to stay away, blushing at even the smallest eye contact. Event he stingiest of the elderly agreed she was 'different' and that the world would finally go the right way for once, once she was Queen of course. They would joke about the future King and how he would have to be one hell of a man to catch Lys. Even Queen Lystra herself had no doubt she would make a fine Queen, if not the most influential Queen this kingdom would ever obtain.

A rustle caught Lys's attention and she stopped her flower murmurs and looked curiously over the bushes to glimpse who or what it was. The kingdom only had servants, the members of the royal family and other people of high ranks, all pretty boring to Lys. Strangers and visitors were very rare, especially uninvited ones. What she saw almost stopped her heart and she dropped to her knees hastily, covering her pink lips, eyes wide and unbelieving. She hid behind her yellow rose bush and sat absolutely still, desperately hoping he hadn't noticed her presence. _A Anima, _the thought exploded in her otherwise blank head.

Anima were half human and half animal people who were treated like slaves. Except for those who worked for the military, they were considered lower than dirt, something defiled and unworthy to be looked upon. Any Anima permitted to be within the presence of a human was usually a slave, a necklace with a round gemstone proving they were possessions. Anima from the royal family had a ring in addition to the necklace, once again with a round gemstone, to show submission.

Lys had one Anima servant, a squirrel Anima girl her age, who Lys only agreed to because her father wished it. It had only been a couple months but she regretted it already. Lys didn't like her, Adrienne, she was stuck up, flaunting her squirrel-ness, which were speed and balance, whenever she could. Although Lys generally never really had a preference, it was always her father's choice, if there was one thing she disliked it was Anima. Anima were just so naturally beautiful, strong and powerful. They were everything Lys worked day and night to achieve, yet they had it all and saw it as if for granted. Lys had heard stories on how Anima gained their powers but she never believed them. It was preposterous that a human regained life after death, and even more ridiculous they would gain a half animal side in the process. But Lys probably disliked Adrienne all the more because she was assigned specifically to catch Lys if was doing something bad. It was no surprise she became adept at avoiding Adrienne.

The Anima she saw was clad from head to toe in black. He creeped around, slinking like a snake. She saw his tongue, and there was no doubt what animal he personified then. She was frightened and didn't dare speak, he felt dangerous. After the man had stared at the castle, her home, intently for several minutes, which felt like hours, he left abruptly just as quickly as he came. Lys sighed and breathed out in relief. Lys, being only 7 years old, figured he was only lost and wouldn't appear again, so she decided to not bother her father about it. How naive she had been.

She walked back to the palace around an hour before sunset. Her testing would begin when the sun touched the horizon, and she had to get ready. She trudged upstairs, dress flowing like a ethereal river behind her, getting excited despite herself. She had read books about this day; it would be like finding your soul mate in the world, only in weapon form. Her mother had the talent for the sword, she was the currently the best in the world, better and faster than men even. The most famous Long-Range attack type. Lys's father, on the other hand, was the best defense anyone had seen in centuries. He was unbreakable, an impenetrable fortress that no one had ever gotten past since the day of his own testing. He had no specific weapon, he could use anything within his reach as a defense weapon, thus he was classified as a Long-Range and Short-Range type. King Bryo and Queen Lystra together were a fearsome and deadly combination sure to strike fear into the heart of even the strongest man in the world, even the Divinities would probably think twice before challenging them. This knowledge was what made Lys so nervous about her own testing. 'What if's' started to form in her head again. Lys shook her head violently to get rid of them. No, she would prove to father that she was good and worthy of his acknowledgment. She strode confidently into her room, and prepared for her testing. There was really nothing much to prepare, though, just look as presentable as possible. Which meant lots of frills, bows and pompoms. Ugh.

Lys hated those abominable dresses. She only wore them because father had nodded once to her after seeing her dressed in a pompous and ridiculously poofy purple dress at a party she had attended a couple years ago. If not for that unexpected nod Lys would never have been caught in another one of those dresses. Now she wore them everyday. She didn't look terrible in them, it was impossible for Lys to look terrible in anything, it just wasn't possible. But she still kept the extravagances to the bare minimum, which meant at most 3 bows, as little poof as possible, and a little bit of lace and frills enough to show off a girly side but not excessively.

Lys got dressed with help from Adrienne constantly jabbering in her ear about how she'd look better if there were more frill and at least 23 more bows and if she wore a corset and all. It was a slow death for Lys's poor ears. Lys swore that Adrienne, just like her constantly chattering squirrel relatives, didn't even know the word 'quiet' much less 'wait'. She was always frantic about everything, lightning fast with even the smallest tasks, her Anima side probably the contributing factor in this.

Next thing Lys knew, Adrienne had dragged her to the entrance of the Great Hall #13 (there were a total of 30 Great Halls and nobody bothered to name any of them except for the Dining Hall, which was #8), patted her shoulder, rattled off compliments and good wishes one by one as if reading a manual, and zipped away. All in less then a span of 15 seconds at most. Lys blinked once, rubbed her poor ears, and sighed. It was always like this with Adrienne. Well, at least she wouldn't ever be late to anything, Lys thought smiling with slight bitterness. Great Hall #13, the only Hall sectioned off to the members of the royal family, except for the testing Initiators.

The Initiators were a group of 5 men, all very prominent, rich, and powerful in their own individual skill. The testing was really a ceremonial dance. With fighting. Yes, Lys would have to fight each of these legendary 5 men, an arsenal of every type of weapon available to her, while _dancing _to a eerie sounding flute. It sounds like a stupid way to test for your weapon but it was a foolproof and guaranteed method. Well, it was better than having a 78% chance of having a fried brain while a mage tried to read your skill from inside your head. But anyway, Lys would have to battle each of the 5 elements the men each represented. Lys's power would emerge once she was fighting with someone from her own skill. A royal member could have only of of these 5 skills inside them: Elemental, Long-Range, Short-Range, Enhancement, and Mage.

Elementals derive their power from the elements, as one might guess from the name. Each person who wields this power usually wields only one of the 4 Elements of fire, earth, air and water. It's rare to see a person wield more than one element but it is most certainly possible. Apparently one can even _learn_ another element, if he/she knows one of the elements already, but it is very hard and strenuous; only those with the strongest desire and willpower succeed. Elhiezer was the Initiator for this section. He had mastered 3 elements, fire, air, and water, and was currently the best Elementalist in the world. He looked old, though, around 72 years old, when he was actually only 36. Elements stripped the user of their youth, supposedly, the more they used them. Elheizer was pretty sensitive on that subject, so no one even dares mention a number ANYWHERE above 30 in his range of hearing. And his hearing is _good_.

Long-Range people specialize in long range attacks, using such weapons as swords, like Queen Lystra, long and short bows, javelins, spears, whips and the such. But because these long range weapons are only good from far away the users themselves have very little protection or defense against close range attacks. Liun was the Long-Range Initiator and he was famous for his skill with the javelin. He could hurl one a good 130 meters and spear 6 animals all at once, one right through the other. His aim was dead on and he was definitely not someone you'd want to make angry.

Then there were Short-Range users, who used weapons like daggers, short knives, clubs, maces, double daggers, ect. Although the attack itself might be weak, the users speed is just unbelievably fast. While Long-Range types can only kill from afar, Short-Range types use their speed, stamina, and agility to bring the enemy down. Most of the time it's not even the multiple attacks that eventually kill the enemy, it's the speed difference that was all it took to plunge a dagger just once into the fatal area. In this section, Zashin was the Initiator; he specialized in double daggers. _Poison_-tipped double daggers. He was quite possibly the youngest to ever achieve the status of a Initiator, at the age of 25, and he was also most likely the worst playboy in the entire Kingdom. (Or maybe the best? It really depends on how you prefer to look at it.)

Enhancement users were people who had the ability to enhance an aspect of their skills, such as speed, stamina, beauty, and the like. They could also enhance others powers, such as make the power of a fire Elementalist increase or even enhance the speed of a Short-Range user. However, enhancing someone else took a much bigger toll on the Enhancer's body, and so that kind of thing was reserved only for serious battles. The Initiator for this section went by the name of Koui, a shady looking man who always wore either all black or all white. He was a weird one, yes, but he could Enhance others for a crazy amount of time, much longer than most Enhancer's, and still survive without his body burning into ashes like most would.

Finally, the Mages. Mages were the most rare type out of all the others, only 1 in every 50 royal members had the potential, and only 1 in every 100 members had full use of their powers. Not much is known about Mages for they are extremely rare and thus hard to gain information on them, but their mostly known for their power of persuasion and mind-bending. They could, essentially, read into a person's soul and look into the person's secrets, desires, and fears. Mages were often slightly insane or secluded, probably an effect of too much power inside one body. The last time a Mage had been born that had full use of his powers, he had bent the mind of the King and forced him to do his bidding, gone insane with the power and his thirst for control. Mages were well watched after that incident; the world didn't want another genocide of the race of humans. The Initiator for this dangerous power had no name, everyone just called him Wizard. No one knew his real name, he had just appeared one day requesting an audience with the King and just like that he filled in the previously vacant space of Mage Initiator. He was an old man, probably the oldest living human in the entire Kingdom, at a shocking age of 137 years old. That was especially frightening considering he looked young, maybe about 60 at most, and had enough energy to knock out 8 fully grown, brawny men in less than a minute.

Lys took a deep breath as she remembered all the training she had done, all the information she knew about the types, and how imperative it was that she did not mess this one up. It was a one hit test, there would be no turning back. She opened the great doors with a push of one small hand and stepped inside the dimly lit, candle covered Hall, determination shining in her young eyes.

~End of Chapter 2~


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys, just wanted to say thanks for reading my story, I know it sucks TT^TT

And I lied in my previous author's note, there will be a bit more chapters on Lys's past than I thought. Sorry!

REVIEWS! P.S. I love criticism. ^^

ENJOY!

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~Beginning of Chapter 3~

The aroma of candle wax wafted throughout the room, heavy and strong. The scent was everywhere, and it clung to Lys the moment she stepped inside Great Hall #13.

The area was huge, much bigger than the Dining Hall - and that was saying a lot. There was no lighting except for the thousands upon thousands of candles that were scattered and clustered all over the room. No windows, no closets, nowhere anyone could hide. Just the one door that allowed passage in and out. Color was limited to only brown, tan, beige, gold, and white. The entire place looked like it had been taken right out of the Roman Empire; stone columns were evenly positioned along the right and left sides of the room, 12 all together. Weapons, at least a hundred, were lined up against the front and back walls, neat and ordered by type, ready to use at any given time. In the center of all this glory was a large circle, made manifest by the bold, dark brown outlining of what looked like mud or dark red henna. There were small symbols encircling the simple circle, intricate runes that seemed to hold power in those delicate strokes. There was a 3 foot buffer between the edge and the candles. _A Mages' work_, Lys thought.

The taste of strawberries suddenly exploded in Lys's mouth. Lys choked, caught completely by surprise, and hacked and coughed in a most unlady-like fashion. She hadn't realized her mouth was wide open. When the obstruction in her throat was cleared, Lys squinted through her tears and saw a young man grinning, a bowl full of strawberries at his disposal.

"Man, if your dad saw you like that.…" he chuckled through just barely held back laughter.

"I forbid you from telling father." Lys retorted curtly, still trying to breathe, cheeks flaming red.

"Of course, sweetheart. But in return, a kiss from the famed seven year old princess herself?" he smoothly returned, all humor now replaced by a seductive glint in his dark amber eyes. Lys ignored that and instead asked,

"Where are the other Initiators?"

"Ah, the pain! My love, rejected, thrown to the dirt floor, trampled by the hooves of despair! But fear not, my love for you will never fade, for you are my one and only in this cold cruel world." he exclaimed theatrically, hugging himself as if hiding from a cold breeze. Lys blinked. No doubt this was the "charm", as the other ladies in court called it, of Zashin, but already it grossed her out more than it did enchant her. Seriously, hooves of despair? One and only? Lys was only 7 and knew better love lines than _those_. She just managed to keep a straight face as he began cooing his eternal loyalty to the bowl of strawberries. She noticed that each "fall of sorrow" brought him closer to her. _Ew, pedophile._

"Zashin, restrain your disgusting fantasies. Some o us actually _like '_aving some morals.", a deep voice rumbled, annoyance heavy in its words. The owner of the voice stepped out from behind a large stone column on her right and had on a face that expressed obvious disgust. It was a scary expression, actually, his scars contributing to the image of a hellish military General. His large, ripped body did nothing to lessen the outlook. He totally disregarded the candles, kicking them down with no interest as he lumbered over.

"We sincerely apologize for his rude behavior." an old looking man appeared out of nowhere, tailed by a man all in black. He bowed respectfully, which Lys nodded in acceptance automatically. The black clad man, face hidden in the swaths of midnight fabric, said nothing and stayed behind the old man. She counted four men, where was the fifth one? Her answer came as soon as she thought it. Zashin's increasingly annoying proclamations of love abruptly cut off, and Lys whipped her head toward him in alarm.

A relatively middle-aged looking man had materialized behind Zashin and had a hand resting lightly on his dark brown hair. Zashin himself had completely frozen halfway on the ground in what was probably a very uncomfortable position, eyes wide in surprise…or was it horror? All of a sudden he violently threw himself away from the offending hand, hissing in fury, twin daggers appearing as if by magic in his hands, strawberries rolling dully on the floor.

The weapons were beautiful, pitch black with crimson red engravings of what seems like Japanese characters on the handles. The blades were deadly sharp, the candle light illuminating the honed edge of the blades, giving off a silver sheen. Zashin held the beauties with grace and quiet power, so natural, as if they were a part of him. In contrast, his eyes were wild and furious, breathing fast and harsh. His entire stance looked like he wanted to run away.

"I'll _kill _you." he spit out from his tightly clenched jaw, grip on the daggers tightening ever so slowly. Lys didn't understand this sudden change in Zashin's attitude, but then she noticed the other man's attire. He had on a blue silk robe and a white belt, with a topaz stone in the center, around his waist. The clothes of a Mage. Lys immediately recalled the story of the Great Mage Massacre; a Mage gone insane from his power and thirst for control had killed almost everyone in the kingdom, through manipulating the mind and thoughts of the King. Lys stepped back an inch, unconsciously retreating from the the Mage. As she stepped back, her eyes caught the huge broad back of the scary, ripped, General-looking man. Then noticed the weapon, a large javelin, that was strapped to his back. The weapon didn't look special or intricate like Zashin's but...Wait, a javelin…? Lys's eyes flew wide in surprise as she recognized who he was.

Liun, the Long-Range Initiator, also known as the Hand of Crimson. She had heard stories, rumors, about his brutality. Some of the servants of the palace had whispered amongst themselves, overheard by Adrienne, about one of his battles. Apparently he had killed 38 men all by himself, and even after the battle had ended he had screamed for more. More blood. He calmed down completely after two full days, but not without killing another 6 men of his own, with his bare hands. Thus, the title of the Hand of Crimson had been born. Lys would be fighting him. In less than an hour. She shook herself out of her momentary fearful stupor and watched as he calmed Zashin down, admittedly with a bit more force than necessary. The Mage, Wizard, looked on in silence, no emotion visible on his ageless face.

The old man and the man in black had watched the exchange as if it was an everyday thing. Liun was the Long-Range Initiator, Wizard was the Mage, Zashin the Short-Range, so that left the other two to be the Elementalist and the Enhancer. The Enhancer always wore either all black or all white so she guessed that the black clad man was the Enhancer Koui. That left Elheizer to be the Elementalist. Lys had never seen the Initiators before and she was nervous about meeting the Legendary Five all at once. The Five were known all over the world for being the best at what they do. It was no surprise then that Regalia was one of the most strongest kingdoms on (or rather, _above_) the earth. _I will prove myself worthy, _Lys vowed internally, _I'll be the strongest. I'll be the best. I'll MAKE father look at me._

"Let us stop stalling. Get on with the Initiation.", Lys commanded, voice slow and steady, no hint of nervousness betraying her pounding heart. Her eyes were clear, a conviction shining-no-BURNING in the depths of eternal green.

"Forgive us, Princess." Elheizer bowed again. He turned to Zashin, who was still looking like he wanted to shout bloody murder, and jerked his head toward Lys after getting his attention. Zashin calmed down slightly, looking a bit chagrined. The hostility was still there, everyone could see it just literally pouring out of him in waves, but his control had returned.

"Now, we shall explain how the Initiation will take place." the Elementalist started, "You will fight each one of us, one at a time, inside the circle you see painted here on the ground in the middle. At no times should you ever step out of the circle until the fight is over -incapability to move for more than ten seconds- or we have given you the signal at the end of 7 minutes. If you do, there is a high risk of you dying right on the spot. The magic barrier Wizard will soon set up is to protect you from dying inside the sphere - while in battle. The moment you leave, the barrier will have no effect and the injuries you've sustained will affect you at full power.". The entire time he explained the battlegrounds to Lys, his face was impassive and the voice was honestly quite dreary and monotone for such a grave warning. Liun took over, before it got too unbearable,

"If you're wonderin' how ta get the weapons outside da circle, dun worry 'bout it, shortcake. The barrier draws the weapons you want ta use right from their position over there." he pointed to the weapons on the front and back walls with a calloused finger. "When you dunt need da weapon anymore just drop it and it'll disappear. You can use as many weapons as ya want, feel free. The more struggle the better.". Liun grinned savagely, hands twitching as if in anticipation. Lys didn't show her fear, face remaining neutral and calm. He added as if an afterthought, "We won't go easy, just in case you were wondering."

"Wouldn't dream of it. Is that all?", Lys asked politely. Zashin blinked at her cool comment to Liun's obvious insult, and started to smile, his anger at Wizard seeming to fade from his memory.

"There is one more thing, my darling.", Zashin suddenly appeared by her shoulder, "Good luck." he breathed in her ear, lips brushing the hairline near her neck. Lys jerked her head back just an inch, goosebumps crawling on her skin. Her lips tightened and she decided then to NEVER get even within 15 meters of Zashin once this was over.

"Let's start." she muttered and stalked toward the circle. She ran through the instructions in her mind, _weapons, no stepping out, injury...death. _Lys stopped thinking with a grimace. She got to the very edge of the circle, candles flickering behind her like a horde of fire demons. At a nod from Wizard she stepped in and prepared herself, mentally and physically. She looked up to see her first opponent on the opposite side of the circle. It was the black clad man, Koui.

His velvety black clothes gave him a look of a death god, the only other color being his face, and even _that_ was half covered by a large black hood. He stood slightly bowed like he had a large weight constantly on his shoulders. From far away he would only look like a black blob moving of its own accord. As an Enhancer, Lys couldn't tell what he could do to actually hurt her. She knew about his poor health due to the powers he held, he always came to drop by the palace hospital. Honestly, she felt bad for having to fight him.

The air shifted all of a sudden, static and electricity made Lys's hair stand up and the overpowering scent of candles dissipated. Lys looked around carefully keeping her stance controlled. The barrier had been set up, it seemed; there was a blue-ish clear substance that rose from the edges of the circle. The film curved over the heads of Lys and Koui, forming a dome, encasing the both of them inside like air in a bubble. She reached out her right hand and tried to touch it, but met no resistance whatsoever, her hand moving through the bubble easily. _Hmm, I'll need to be careful, _she thought as her heart beat faster in nervousness. She withdrew her hand and prepared her fight stance, the one she had mastered through blood and sweat. No tears, she would never show her tears, not while Father was alive.

"Then, on the count of three, Princess.", Elheizer called out. "One, two-"

"THREE!", Liun roared, slamming the butt of his javelin down into the ground. It startled Lys and she lost her concentration for a moment. Luckily, Koui hadn't made a move. In fact, he was standing at the same place he was, no closer or farther away. She was confused. _Fine, then, I definitely won't hold back. _She thought of a sword, and with a  
_clink_ a steel cavalier suddenly appeared by her side, jeweled handle up and ready to be used. She grinned. She had always been good with swords. This would be a piece of a burst of speed she practically flew over the slick floor, sword held loosely but firmly in her right hand, and hurtled toward the apparently defenseless looking Koui.

Koui made no move. He stood completely still, it didn't even look like he was breathing. Closer, closer, only a couple meters away now. Lys got her weapon in fighting stance and charged, face a mask of ice. A meter away, she raised her sword to stab it into Koui's shoulder, she didn't want to hurt him fatally. Then, a foot away from piercing his skin, the world popped and suddenly turned gray. She was so weak, so weak and tired. The thin sword felt too heavy. She dropped it and it disappeared. She also dropped to her knees with a sigh. Her strength was ebbing, even her concentration was breaking. _So, this is what an Enhancer's power can do, huh, _she thought dreamily. The entire fall took less than five seconds. She couldn't move, she was so tired...

_One..._

_Two..._

_Three..._

_Ahh, I'm so tired. Maybe I should just sleep here now. I'm sure they won't mind just a short nap..._

_Four..._

_Five..._

_Wait what am I doing here? Wow, such pretty candles. I wonder if father will think they're pretty._

_Six..._

_Seven..._

_Hold on, aren't I in a fight? Shouldn't I be fighting right now? That's right, a fight...what for? Isn't it better to sleep, I'm too tired. I'm just a kid._

_Eight..._

_Ah, right, there's a time limit too, huh. Ten seconds. How long has it been? No, wake up! Get up! What was all that training for?! _

_Nine..._

_NO! I won't lose here! Father!_

Lys snapped her eyes open, flashing furiously like a storm, and with a moan forced herself up. She met Koui's eyes, surprisingly visible, with an almost crazed glow to them.

"I won't lose here." She hissed under her breath. She summoned a long dagger and jerked herself forward. She caught his arm with the tip of her dagger and heard the black fabric tear. Koui's eyes, a peculiar amber, widened in utter surprise but managed to dodge her next frantic strike. Lys was so tired, she could barely move her arms, actually barely even hold her dagger. But she vowed to be the best, the strongest, to get father's approval. She HAD to win. The dangerous dance went on for a while, Lys didn't know. She didn't know anything anymore. Time didn't make sense. The only thought she could make in her muddled mind was _Win. _Her arm moved mechanically, Koui doing nothing but dodging. But he seemed to be tiring and Lys was gaining strength. She tripped Koui with an immense effort, dropping down to the ground, thrusting out her leg to catch him from behind the knees. He fell backward and Lys fell on top of him. So tired. Lys gasped and panted, trying to breathe. The air around her seemed to thicken. Even breathing hurt. Koui's eyes were frightened, pinned underneath Lys. He wasn't much, for a grown man. Bony and thin, frail. Lys felt nothing. She tried to raise her arm, shaking with the effort as her body became even heavier. Her other hand was attempting to clutch at the black clothes, but to no avail. She was too weak. Her last chance, the dagger hovering above Koui's heart. She didn't want to kill him, but there was no choice. Can't think straight. She would win, no matter the cost. She released her tension and allowed the weight of her arm to plunge the dagger down into Koui's flesh.

The dagger never met its mark.

"EEEEEEND!" Liun hollered and the weapon abruptly vanished from view. The barrier dissolved and all that was left was Lys and Koui in a heap, very near the edge of the circle, both struggling for breath. Lys's strength surged back in a sudden rush of power. She felt dizzy as she tried to take it all in. Koui didn't so good though. He was ashen and trembling, clothes rumpled and teared. A strong hand reached under Lys's arm and hauled her off Koui with ease.

"You're surprisingly light, aren't you." a voice murmured into her ear. A familiar tickle on her neck told her it was Zashin.

"Ugh, leave me alone." she replied, still dizzy and disoriented. She shook off his supporting hand and walked unsteadily out of the circle. She sat down with a thud as soon as she was clear, and put her head in her arms. She felt tingly, like hot and cold needles were prickling her all over. Her strength was returning more gradually now, to her relief. She vaguely heard the other Initiators murmuring with each other.

"Tha' was da first time anyone lasted da full seven minutes against 'im."

"Hey, is he okay? He's shaking..."

"He hasn't been touched by a girl since that time. It's no wonder he's in shock. And no one's ever managed to get past his defense before. A girl, no less!"

"Hmm...she gets more and more interesting..."

Lys stayed down until she could open her eyes without being overwhelmed by the colors and lights. She slowly uncurled herself first and stood up. The Initiators looked over at her with curious expressions and broke apart. Lys, fine now, brushed off Zashin's too eager help. Her hair was a mess.

"Well, Princess, the seven minute time limit was over so we stopped the test. Congratulations." Elheizer bowed.

"Tha' was a pret'y good fight, for a shortcake." Liun nodded with grudging admiration.

"Heh, heh. I think I fell in love with you all over again." Zashin grinned. Koui didn't say anything, wrapped in a black blanket and huddled as far away from her as possible, which was pretty far. She should apologize.

"I apologize for my lack of control, earlier. Good fight." she called out to him, receiving no reply in return. _Hmph, his fault for only being able to use his powers and not his actual body, _she thought.

"Ah, I apologize but we must get on with the next battle. If you're not hurt severely anywhere, that is." Elheizer murmured.

"Of course, I'm fine. Let's get on with it." Lys immediately responded. Yes, let's get on with it. 4 more Initiators to go. Lys walked toward the circle again with an inner sigh.

~End of Chapter 3~


	4. Chapter 4

Hullo once again!

There will be two more chapters on Lys's flashback, thanks for putting up with it!

Enjoy! 3

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~Beginning of Chapter 4~

The next battle was with Elheizer, the boring old geezer, himself, and that went by pretty quickly. Mainly because she had freaked out the moment he summoned water, lost her mind and tried to murder him. He apparently had some trouble controlling it, it seemed. Time flies when you're having fun, right? In any case, the seven minute mark sounded and that was that. In the meantime, the longer Liun watched, the more his hands twitched and curled in anticipation. Koui pointedly showed no interest, whatsoever.

When it was Zashin's turn to spar with her, Lys just sighed and plodded toward the circle. He would probably make cheesy pick-up lines and lewd comments in between his attacks, she was sure of it. She was only seven, for Divinities sake!

"I really don't want to fight her, El. Do I have to? She's so cute and tiny!" Zashin called to Elheizer from inside the circle. Elheizer just ignored him. Lys felt slightly irritated, but didn't let it show. _I'll show him who's the tiny one, _she thought murderously. But she'd have to be careful. Underneath all the flirting and passes he made, he had an incredible amount of speed and lethal power contained in him. Most people said that his speed was almost godly, so fast he was just a blur in a real battle.

At the count of three, the battle commenced. Zashin wasted no time, and sprinted for Lys, his daggers glinting divinely in the light of the candles. He reached her in less than 3 seconds. _So fast!_

"Aww, so adorable! Your face is all surprised. Pfft!" he chuckled as he leaned down to her level. But his eyes grew dark and said in a regretful tone, "I really don't want to fight you, but the rules say, so be prepared.". He immediately threw a slash at her arm. Lys managed to dodge that one, but just barely. It was then, as she looked at how close she got to being cut by those daggers, that she realized she was up against someone far more formidable than she had first thought. She summoned a long, thin, steel spear and proceeded to stab at Zashin, keeping his close-range attacks at bay. After a couple minutes of Zashin constantly dodging Lys's jabs, he suddenly brought his arms forward and slammed both of his black blades into the metal shaft of the spear, halving the pole cleanly. It was obvious he had just been playing with her until now, if it wasn't already clear when he kept tossing out stupid love proposals. The spearhead rolled to the ground uselessly and disappeared along with the shaft. _Crap. _Lys immediately brought forth an iron mace and swung it around, catching Zashin by surprise, cutting his upper cheek. His eyes widened, then narrowed.

"Oh, I'm _so _getting you for that. My face is worth pure gold, sister." he growled. Zashin was a narcissus, go figure. Now all teasing was gone from his face and he lunged at Lys, aiming for her face, actually just her cheek. He got past her mace and began to slash furiously at her. His attacks kept getting faster and faster until Lys could just barely dodge most of them. The mace was useless now, she dropped it and materialized a shield and a short sword. The shield protected her from some of his attacks while she countered the rest with her sword. He disappeared all of a sudden. _Where did he- _Lys gasped suddenly as a blade sliced her back, swift and cold. Then her back began to tingle, which quickly escalated to a burning pain. In a rush, she remembered something crucial she had forgotten. His weapon wasn't only double, but thy were loaded with poison as well. Lys stopped moving abruptly, frozen in anticipating fear. But no foam came out of her mouth, no halting of her breath, no failure of the heart occurred.

"Remember, we're in Wizard's circle", Zashin commented offhandedly near her cheek. That jolted Lys out of her fearful stupor and she snapped her sword toward the sound of his voice. She tripped over her feet as she had spun, though, and she fell to the ground in an ungraceful heap.

"Oof!" she grunted as her shield smashed against her ribs. A ribbon also poked her in the eye. _Curse you, Adrienne. _She looked up with watering eyes to see Zashin's blurry dagger come hurtling toward her face.

"TIME!" Liun's voice roared. The dagger stopped a hairsbreadth away from her cheek, dangerously close to her eye. Zashin sighed, almost as if in disappointment and sheathed his daggers. He replaced them back onto his belt, then reached out and picked Lys up from the ground, both of her weapons already gone. She shrugged off his touch as soon as she could stand.

"That was pretty good. Not many people can withstand me for a full seven minutes." his voice was slightly haughty with a touch of disbelief. "Agh, I wish I could at least get you back for what you did to my beautiful face, though I am relieved it was a beautiful young lady like you to punish me.". He touched the small cut tentatively with the tips his fingers. The pain in Lys's back intensified as the adrenaline rush ebbed and his words all but slipped out of her ears. She made move to step out of the circle but was abruptly pulled back.

"Hey, hey, where do you think you're going? You can't leave unless we treat your back first. If you go out now, the poison will fully affect you." He added with a sorrowful look, "Sorry I slashed you like that. I didn't mean to hurt you that badly. I just hadn't had this much of a challenge at Initiations in a while.". His eyes roamed over Lys's body, riddled with nicks and scratches. He shook his head in surprise. "I didn't think I got you this many times. I can lick them for you. I heard it has disinfecting properties.", he said with his already familiar seductive glint in his eyes.

"No need." Lys said uncomfortably as she shied away from him. Her eyes caught sight of a gaudy pink colored fabric, and, remembering what a hindrance they were, she tore off all her bows and tossed them to the floor. Elheizer hurried inside the dome with a medical kit and immediately began to clean and disinfect her wounds. The pain was already so great she couldn't feel the stinging sensation of the alcohol. Lys bit down on her bottom lip hard as pressure was applied, arching her back as the fire spread throughout her body. Zashin wouldn't stop staring at her, god it was annoying.

"Hey, you know, you're actually really good for a seven year old. I honestly didn't expect much from you. I'd be the proudest father if I was your dad. Not that I want a kid to feed anytime soon." Even though he didn't have to add that last part in, his compliment warmed Lys's heart in a way she hadn't felt in a long time. It caught her completely by surprise. _Father would be proud...? _She smiled.

"Whoa! The ice princess smiled! Look, Koui! She's smiling!" Zashin exclaimed in excitement. Koui made no move to look over, and Lys's smile immediately slipped off her face, her precise and indifferent mask on once again.

"Aww..." Zashin looked disappointed. Lys looked down at herself. Her dress was now ripped to shreds. Oh, well, who cared. She hated them anyways. When her wounds were done being tended to, and the gauze had been applied, she stood up and proceeded to tear off the bottom swishing part of her hem, and rip the sleeves off. The entire time she was mangling her clothes, the rest of the Initators looked on in astounded silence, even Koui was watching. Noticing the stares, she asked in the midst of undoing her tight outer bodice,

"What is it?".

"Ah, uh...well, you see, Your Highness, we've never seen a princess behave in this-" the Elementalist nodded at her position, "- fashion. It's quite...unique. And, er, I believe Zashin is quite enjoying his new fantasy, to put it simply." Oh. Lys blushed crimson.

"It's not like that at all! It's just that I can't go on fighting like this so I -"

"Yes, yes, understood, princess." Zashin smirked, arms crossed, eyes looking her up and down mentally undressing her. Didn't he feel any shame looking at a seven year old like that?!

"No, you don't! I really -" Lys's vehement retort was cut off by Liun's annoyed rumble. He snapped,

"Can we get on with da fighting now? I'd like ta test ya for myself, and it's already time, if ya dun mind." Lys gulped, and all her bickering with Zashin now receded into the back of her mind. She nodded in Liun's general direction and straightened her back. It stung a bit but whatever Elheizer had applied, it worked. She could hardly feel the pain anymore.

"Right, then, let's get started."

~ End of Chapter 4 ~


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